Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-20
TWO FISHERMAN.

rats. People ate anything they could
get.
As he was trudgirg sadly along the ex-
terror boulevard, one fine January morn
ing, with his stomach empty, his hands
thruct into the pockets of his uniform
trousers, M. Morisset, matchmaker by
trade, stopped in face of man whom he
recognized as friend. 1t was M. Sau-
wage, whose acquaintance he had mace
while angling.
Before the war, every Sunday at dawn
Nj. Morissot used to start out with BAN
boo fishing rod in his hand and tin box
strapped to his back. He would take the
Argenteuil train, get out at Colonies,
and walk to File Marante. On reaching
this scene of his dreams he would at
once begin fishing and keep 1t up till
nightfan.
Every Sunday also he used to meet
there little pursy, jolly man-M. Saw
age, dry goods dealer In the Rue Notre
Dame de Lorette, another fanatical ang-
Ter.
They would often sit there whole half
day, side by side, line in hand and feet
dangling over the current; and they had
conceived great friendship for one an
other.
Some days they did not talk. Occa-
sioually they might drop word or two;
but they understood each other admir-
ably well without saying anything, haV-
ing similar tastes and ideas.
OF a fine spring morning, about 10
O'Clock, when the rejuvenated sun would
be creating that light mist which flows
away with the water, and would be pour
ing down on the backs of the two enthu-
siastic fishers the pleasant warmth of the
new season-then would MorissOt say to
his neighbOr:
"Hey! This is fine, isn't it?"
And M. Salvage would answer;
Don't know of anything finer"
And that sufficed them for comprehend
ng and esteeming each other.
Toward the end of an autumn day when
the sky, all ensanguined by sunset, would
be finging upon the water shapes fscar-
let cloud-would be pUrpling the whole
river, setting fire to the heavens, redden-
ing the faces of the two friends, and
gliding the already fading foliage, as it
trembled with the first shivers of winter
then NJ MOrrissot would look at M.
Savage with a smile and say:
"What sight!'
And M. Savage, delighted, would
answer, without taking his eyes off his
float:
''This is better than the boulevard
eh?"
The moment they recognize each other
they shook hands geticatly-qulte
affected to find themselves together under
such change of affairs. M. Savage
murmers with sigh:
'sHere's a nice state of things"
Morissot, very gloomy, groaned out:
sAnd such weather. to-day is the finest
day of the year."
The sky was, in fact, quite blue, and
full of light.
They began to walk along, side by side;
sad and dreary, Morrissot spoke again:
sand that fishing-eh?-what fine time
we had thenW
M. Savage asked:
"When shall we ever have such anoth-
er?''
They entered little cafe and took an
absinthe together; they then pent out to
walk about the boulovards again.
Morissot suddenly stopped:
'Let's take another-eh?" M. Savage
consented: "Just as you like" And they
went into another drinking resort.
They felt quite dizzy when they came
out, and trembled, as people do who have
swallowed plenty of alcohol upon an
empty stomach. 1t was pleasant outside.
A mild breeze caressed their faces.
Nj. Savage, make quite tipsy by the
warm air, stopped and said:
suppose we go anyhow"
$50 where?"
s'Why, to fish, of course"
But whereW
- IL ,.ln thA ISln %
French outposts are at Colonies. know
Col. Dumoulin; he'll pass us through all
right"
Morissot trembled with desire.
'Good!' he cried; 'I1l go!'
And thep went off to get their fishing
tackles.
An hour later they were walking along
the high road side by side. Then they
reached the villa where the colonel was.
He smiled at their whim and gave his con-
sent at once.
They walked on, provided with writ
ten paper.
In short time they passed beyond the
outposts, traversed deserted Colonies.
and found themselves at the edge of the
little vineyards which slope down to the
Seine.
1t was about II o'clock.
The Village of Argenteuil in front of
them seemed dead.
The heights of Orgement and Sannois
dominated the landscape.
The great plain which reaches to Nan
terre was empty perfectly bare-with Its
naked cherry trees and gay fields.
NJ. Salvage pointing to the nights,
said:
sThe Prussians are there!' And a
sense of uneasiness almost paralyzed the
two friends as they gazed upon the des-
erted country.
seThe Prussians" They had never
seen them; but they felt them there, as
they had their presence for two long
months around Paris running France